Foot-pedal for musical instruments



(No Model.)

T. P. BROWN. FOOT PEDAL FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. No, 595,466. Patented Dec. 14, 1897.

. WITNESSES: INVENTOR BYOQ fl NrTnn STATES PATENT tries.

THEODORE P. BROIVN, OF IVORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOOT-PEDAL FOR MUSICAL lNSTRUlVlENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,466, dated December 14, 1897.

Application filed March 17, 1897. Serial No. 627,929. (No model.)

f II/ZZ whom/ it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE P. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at IVorcester, in the county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new, useful, and valuable Improvement in Foot-Pedals for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to foot-pedals for musical instruments, and has for its especial objects, first, to provide foot-pedals supported by a frame which can be folded up out of the way when not in use; second, to provide a folding pedal-frame having its points of leverage so arranged as to exert the maximum power from a free and comparatively easy movement of the feet; third, to provide a pedal-frame having its connecting-arm extended under and into the instrument and thereby obviating the cutting away of the case. I accomplish these ends by the mechanism shown and described in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved pedals and frame. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same through line X X of Fig. 1 and including a part of the instrument case, feeders, and bellows.

Numerals of reference are placed upon or connected to the different parts shown in the drawings, any numeral recurring in the two views indicating the same parts differently shown.

In this instance I have shown my improvements in connection with the lower part of a piano-case 1, resting upon the casters 2, and having the exhaust-bellows 3 and main bellows 4-. The object of the latter-named parts is to exhaust air, so as to operate the pneumatic action arranged in the upper part of the instrument, the whole serving to automatically operate the regular piano-action, as fully shown and described in my patent, No. 581,390, dated April 27, 1890. Rigidly secured to the lower part of the case 1 are two outwardly-projecting brackets at, and to these are pivotally secured the two extensionarms 5, connected at their outer ends by the cross-rail 6, which normally rests upon the floor. The two pedals 7 are hinged at point 8 to said cross-rail 6, and to their upper outer edges are pivotally secured the branched or yoke-shaped arms 9, the latterbeingpivotally secured to the bracket-arms 10, secured to the movable boards 11 of the exhausters It is obvious that when the pedals 7 are depressed the movable boards 11, through arms 9, are immediately thrown inward at their lower ends against the springs 12, each board 11 or eXhauster 3 when thus operated serving to exhaust the main bellows 4 against its spring 13 in the well known manner. Upon raising the feet the pedal-boards 7 are returned to their normal positions by the action of the springs 12, as is apparent.

\Vhen the pedals are not in use, they, together with all parts of the projecting frame, can be folded up flat against the lower panel board let.

In their folded position the tread-surfaces of the pedals will lie against the said panelboard. The pedals are free to be folded in this manner by reason of the yoke-shaped arms 9, which are free to move backward during the folding operation, as willbe readily seen.

From the foregoing it will be observed. that while the construction employed is extremely simple, yet it not only provides means for folding the pedal-frame up, but also provides means whereby a direct action upon the board 11 is obtained, and this without cutting the front panel 1 1 of the case.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folding foot-pedal for musical instruments, the combination with the case thereof, of two outwardlyextending arms pivoted to the said case, a cross-rail connecting the outer ends of said arms, foot-pedals hinged to said cross-rail, rearwardly-extending yoke-shaped links each pivoted at its yoked end to one of the said pedals, and bracketarms rigidly secured at their rear ends to a movable part of the instrument and having their forward ends pivoted to the said links, substantially as described.

2. In a foot-pedal device for musical instruments, the combination with the case thereof, of the forwardly-projecting brackets 4:, secured to said case above its base, an arm 5, pivoted to each bracket and extending outward therefrom, a cross-rail 6, connecting the outer ends of said arms, foot-pedals 7, hinged at their lower ends to said cross-rail, rearwardly-extending yoke-shaped links 9, each pivoted at its yoked end near the upper end of each pedal, and bracket-arms 10, rigidly secured at their rear ends to a movable part of the instrument and having their forward Witnesses:

WM. J. TAFT, RUFUs B. DODGE, Jr. 

